BG 9.28

Srirangam has Seven prakarams[corridors], while in Thirunagari, there are Six prakarams. In one prakaram, the Lord is gracing as Sri Narasimha killing Hiranyakasipu.

With Eight arms and placing Hiranyakasipu on His lap, the Lord tears off the demon and quenches His anger. We are at the steps of the main sannidhi. Bhakti is a step to reach the Alwar, who is the next step to reach the Lord Sri Vayalali Manavalan [ஸ்ரீ வயலாலி மணவாளன்]. Utsavar is Sri Vayalali Maindhan [ஸ்ரீ வயலாலி மைந்தன்]. Moolavar is in the sitting pose, seated on a rice bag [வரக் கோட்டை]. He is also called Sri Kalyana Ranganathan or Sri Vedharaja Perumal. As He marries Sri Amruthavalli Nachiar, the Lord poses on the rice bag. Along with Him are Sri Sridevi, Sri Bhoodevi and Sri Nachiyar. Right palm is in abhaya mudra and the left arm is in ahvahana mudra welcoming the devotees. Whom is He welcoming? Surely, it should be the Alwar, as Parakala Nayaki. Alwar says in his pasuram that after worshiping the Lord here, the Alwar felt that He was too great for him to go near and so withdrew from Him. Seeing this, the Lord is beckoning the Alwar to come near Him. Pasuram 'mai vanna narunkunji..' [மை வண்ண நறுங்குஞ்சி குழல் பின் தாழ மகரம் ...]. This is in Alwar's Thirunedunthandakam [திரு நெடுந் தாண்டகம்] and is composed as though the Alwar, in the guise of a woman, telling 'her' freind. He tried to entice Parakala Nayaki, by first exhibiting His jet black curly hair. 'She' did not fall a prey to that. The Lord then tried to dazzle 'her' with brightness by shaking the diamond ear rings on His ears. The Lord, Sri Vayalali Maindhan [Utsavar] is standing with right arm showing protection and left arm on His lap, assuring the devotees that He would reduce their ocean of sins to knee deep level. Unlike the Moolavar, Who is very large, Utsavar is quite small. In Tamil 'maindhan' means youth. Alwar says that 'she' was won over by this Youth! He came to 'her' with the mighty bow and came with Lakshmana [இருவராய் வந்தார்]. Very near this sannidhi, in the corridor is Sri Chilaivalavan [ஸ்ரீ சிலை வலவன்]. In one pasuram, Alwar sends a bee as a messenger to this Lord. The Lord was holding the bow [ Tamil - சிலை], to kill the enticing deer, kill Ravana and rescue Sri Sita. All those assignments were over and now should He not deploy that bow to rescue 'her' - Alwar? 'She' yearns for Him, more and more as the beauty of the Lord with the bow is captivating. Like the Moolavar, the Lord here also is with Four arms. The lower right arm is showing protection and the left arm is in ahvahana mudra, beckoning the Alwar to come near Him. In one pasuram Alwar mentions that the Lord is singing in maivalam [மைவளம்], which is present day Nattakuinchi raag, to draw the attention of Alwar in woman's disguise. But the sweet song was so melodious and with the Lord beckoning 'her', the Alwar could not find 'her' body and all the ornaments. 'She' could see only the Four shoulders of the Lord. 'Her' mind was lost to Him. All other organs also reached Him and so nothing was left with 'her'. The Lord wants that His devotee should present all senses to Him; if that was not done, then He will act in such a way to get all senses and mind lost to Him. In sloka 27, the Lord tells Arjuna to submit all to Him. Every action should be presented to Him:

yat karosi yad asnasi
yaj juhosi dadasi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kurusva mad-arpanam

"Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, and whatever austerities you perform—do that, O son of Kunti, as an offering to Me."

Tat kurushva = do that, mad arpanam = [as] offering to Me [Sri Krishna]. This is what we daily recite in 'kayena vacha amnasaindhri aiva... Narayana iti samarpayami'. Whatever we do by mind, words and organs, we should submit to the Lord. Yat karoshi = whatever you do [of worldly living], yad asnasi = whatever you eat [ for living], yad juhoshi = whatever yagnas you do, yat dadasi = whatever gifts [dhana] you do, yat tapasyasi = whatever meditations you do, tat kuruushva = do all of them, mad arpanam = in My [Sri Krishna's] favour, kaunteya = Arjuna. He advises Arjuna not to do anything for his own benefit, but in favour of the Lord. What will happen if we do not do that way? Just like in Alwar's case, the Lord will find ways and means to get us submitted to Him. We should notice that the lord has been mentioning activities in devotion to thr Lord; like cleaning the temple, lighting the lamps, or making garlands for the Lord, etc. We may get a doubt. What about our other activities like going to workplace to earn, getting married, acquiring property, etc., which are all our worldly activities? Are we to do them or stop them? Not even in one sloka the Lord had ever mentioned these. Is Gita meant for those not involved in worldly activities? Are Gita preachings useless? Are our daily activities irrelevant to Gita? The Lord replies these doubts. Whatever He told earlier are shastra praptam or related to what are emphasized in Vedas. Karma yoga or Bhakti yoga come under this topic - shastra praptham. There are others which come under the topic - loukeeka praptham; or activities to be done to live in this Universe. Activitees required to live in this world or loka is called loukeekam; what we have to do as per Vedas is vaideekam. Here, the Lord says that just as we have to present all our Vaideeka actions, we have to do all our loukeeka actions also in His favour. In loukeeka praptham there are two sub divisions -swabhava praptham and artha praptham. Swabhava praptham is all actions peculiar to anyone depending on his self, like a kshtriya fighting, etc. Artha praptam consists of all activities which are required to make an honest living. Any activity done should be just and fair and never illegal. All actions should be governed by shastras, society and country rules and regulations. Every action should be dedicated to the Lord. Even while eating we should realize that the food or the cook or the person eating are all His bodies and governed by Him. So we have to offer everything to the Lord and then eat. Every ritual is in His command and so all of them should be dedicated to Him. A gift offered should be thought as His property is given to Him by Him. Every action should thus be dedicated to Him. This is what Alwar implies when he says that all his mind and organs were at the Lord. Swami Vedanta Desika in his Tatparya Chandrika, has mentioned that when we chant this sloka we should modify it this way:

yat karomi yad asnami
yaj juhomi dadami yat
yat tapasyami bhagavan
tat karomi tvad-arpanam.

These are in First person and imply directly that whatever we do, we dedicate them to You, the Lord.

BG 9.27

Today [14th July 2008], I had to attend a marriage in Oppiliappan koil and so I could not listen to the Gita lecture. We will see what the relevent sloka [26] in the web:

patram puspam phalam toyam
yo me bhaktya prayacchati
tad aham bhakty-upahrtam
asnami prayatatmanah

"If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it."

I was able to listen to this sloka in a repeat telecast on 18th June 2009. A brief recapitulation of the same:

The lecture was from Thiruvayalali [திரு வயலாலி], where the Lord is Sri Manavalan. We had seen earlier that sage Poorna was bringing up Sri Thayar as his daughter. He got Her married to the Lord, and that is why the Lord is called here as Sri Vayalali Manavalan. After marriage, when the Divine couple were returning, Tirumangai Alwar planned to rob them. Till then Alwar was known as Neelan. He became Kaliyan and later Tirumangai Alwar. Hence, the Lord here is responsible for making him an Alwar. He was administered Ashtakshara mantra by the Lord; but it is from the Lord Sri Sowriraja of Tirukkannapuram, that the Alwar learnt fully the import of Ashtaksharam! Alwar in a pasuram says that when he saw different flowers like Tulasi, thorny Mulari, Aambal, etc., mind was after offering those to the Lord. If there was a person without such a thought, then the Alwar says that is never a mind! Ears should be to listen to His names, eyes should be to see Him; likewise, mind should be after offering flowers, etc., to Him. This is similar to the sloka we are to see. In sloka 26, the Lord tells Arjuna that it is very easy and simple to worship Him. In the worship, we try to offer something to the Lord. In our lives, we offer to someone what he needed. so that we can get favours from him. Here, the Lord is not in need of anything. In fact, He is the owner of all. So even if we offer, we are only presenting His own property. In such a case where is the need for offering with very costly materials? He is not waiting for us to worship Him with golden flowers. We find today many religious ceremonies like, say, Sudarsana Homam, etc., are unaffordable to many. Then, how are they to worship the Lord with such actions prescribed in Vedas? The Lord answers in this sloka. A leaf [patram] or any flower [pushpam] or any fruit [palam] or mere water [thoyam], is enough. Are we to offer water in golden or silver vessels? No. A mud pot or if nothing s available, offer clean water in the hands! The Lord sees bhakti alone and not what we offer! That is how the garland-man and hunchback woman offered to Sri Krishna, in Srimad Bhagavatam. Vidura offered with real bhakti peels of fruit, which the Lord took eagerly! That is why Alwar also says offer any flower to the Lord, or at least think to offer.

BG 9.26

Sriman Narayana graces in Five states. 1. In Sri Vaikuntam as Sri Para Vasudeva, 2. in the Milk Ocean [திருப் பாற்கடல்] as Sri Vyuha Vasudeva, 3. as Sri Rama and Sri Krishna in Vibhava Avatar, 4. residing in everyone as Antharatman and 5. in Kshetrams and temples as Auspicious Idols [அர்ச்சை]. Objective of Vedas was Sri Para Vasudeva or Sri Vaikunta Natha. The Agama, Pancharathram [பாஞ்ச ராத்ரம்], glorifies Sri Vyuha Vasudeva. Manu Dharma shastra and the like, are glorifying Antharyami. Itihasa and Puranas praise Vibhava Avatars. Azhwars' Divya Prabhandam eulogize the Lord in Temples, ie. Archai. For Thirumangai Alwar, the last of Alwars, Archai was his life. His principle was that the Lord in temples is the resort for all to get Moksham. To understand his life, his poems and his place, we are now in Thirunagari Kshetram. He is gracing in an idol form here.


திருமங்கை மன்னன் குமுதவல்லி நாச்சியாருடன்
Earlier we saw Sri LakshmiNarasimha in Thiruvaali. Behind the temple is the pushkarini- Plagini pushkarini. It is said that the water is capable of curing any disease and removing sins. The street in front of the temple -sannidhi street- is long and welcomes us. The Rajagopuram - main entrance tower - is ancient and has Seven tiers. It is majestic, perhaps because it is the entarnce to worship the Alwar inside! As we cross this, we reach the second Gopuram with Five tiers. We cross the dwajasthambam and this gopuram to come to the Third gopuram of Three tiers. The Second gopuram was built by Achutappa Nayak and this Third Gopuram was Built by Swamy Narahari Jeer. Crossing this we come to a long prakaram or corridor. Whenever Thirumangai Alwar returns from a procession, Thiruvandhikappu [திரு அந்திக் காப்பு] will be presented [andhi =evening, kappu = protection]. In this, lit camphor will be shown so that no ills occur [திருஷ்டி சுற்றுதல்]. During Adhyana Utsavam, with all Alwars seated the Lord listens to their pasurams in this mantap. As we enter further we see Alwar's sannidhi and the sannidhi of Sri Devaraja. It is said that Princes who lived luxuriously, used to add ghee for every morsel of food. Similarly, our Alwar Parakala [Thirumangai Alwar] would add Archai for every stanza! Even while praising the Avatars of the Lord, he would somehow add the Lord of some temple or the other. Of the 108 Divya desam, this Alwar has praised 86. Of these 47 Divya desam are praised only by Parakala. Now we will see 25th sloka. Earlier the Lord said that He grants His devotees, Yoga and Kshema [sloka 22]. But there are other devotees, who worship other deities, though sincerely, superficially learning Vedas but not understanding the Vedantas properly. They never realize that it is the Lord, residing in every deity, grants even the inferior requirements. They never know that the Lord is the 'bhokta' or recipient of offerings made in every yagna, they perform favouring any deity. He further tells Arjuna that if a person performs a yagna favouring a god, he will attain that only or reach the world of that god and enjoy. When the tenure of that god is over, then that person also has to depart that place and has to be born in this samsaram. With great efforts the person attains the place of these gods and yet, when the period of reign of those gods ends, this person also has to return. For example, one performs jyotish homa, favouring Indra and seeking swarga lok. He gets swarga lok. But if, while doing this homa, the person does with the conscience that the karma is directed in favour of Sri Krishna, the antharatman of Indra and seeks the Divine feet of the Lord, then the same jyotish homa, will grant him Vaikuntam and not swarga lok, which is transient and inferior to Vaikuntam. So without changing the karma and not altering the efforts, by changing only the intention, we get different results. This applies to other karmas also and is explained in sloka 25. When we beat a person, we are questioned by law enforcing agents; but the same action of beating, if we do to correct our children, then we gain. So intention or sankalpam, is very important. Now, sloka 25:

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino ’pi mam

"Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me."

Deva vrata = those intending to become a deva [ or reach deva loka], devan yanti = [ by doing specified karmas for that] attain deva loka. Pitr vrata = [similarly] those wanting to reach pitru [deceased ancestors] loka, yanti = attain [ by taking specified efforts] , pitrn = the world of pitrus. Bhutani = groups of bhutas, like rakshasas, gandharvas, etc., yanti = are attained [ by performing ], bhutejya = karmas related to such bhutas. One does a karma to reach Indra lok and worships Indra with the knowledge and intention that Indra is to grant the desire of reaching Indra lok. But, Yanti = attain, mam = Me [Sri Krishna, in Vaikuntam], mad yajino = [who] perform karma to reach Me [Sri Krishna], api = only. We have to carefully see the meaning of the words 'mad yajino'. A person does a karma to reach deva loka. With the same karma and efforts, but with the intention and worship to the Lord, then he reaches the Lord. To reach Him, the Lord is not asking the person to do another karma or alter the efforts; but with same karma and same efforts one can reach the Lord if his sankalpam or intention is modified. Arjuna is in the battle field to fight and recover the lost property. If it was done with the intention of recovering and enjoying the kingdom regained, then it is objectionable and could bring in sins also. But if Arjuna does it with the intention that it was an order of the Lord and it was his kshatriya dharma to protect, then he would be doing karma yoga and realizing that he would get atman sakshatkaram. Same fight would get him higher worlds and Moksham. The Lord is not asking anyone to change the karma; but only asking them to change the sankalpam. The Lord of this temple is facing West; while Sri Thayar is facing East. Pooja are performed as per Vaikanasa agama of sage Vikanasa.

BG 9.25

In Thirukkavalambadi, Lord Sri Rajagopalan [Utsavar] is gracing with just two arms. Left arm is resting on the shoulder of Sri Sathyabhama and right arm is holding a whip. On His right is Sri Rukmini. There is no separate sannidhi for Sri Thayar, this is because, as Thirumangai Alwar says, on His chest is seated Sri Madavarai Mangai [மடவரை மங்கை]. The Lord is standing with a cow and a calf. Cow or calf does not know karma yoga or gyana yoga or bhakti yoga. But still the Lord is protecting them; and so, we can also seek His protection. This is what Alwar says and addresses the Lord as God and prays for protection. Nammalwar says thyat if the Lord does not protect, there is none to protect. He is the only Protector. Did He not protect all the cows and calves, for seven days in Gokulam, by lifting the hill as umbrella, when rains lashed? After viewing the Lord with all Consorts, our eyes should not crave for anything else and that is what the Lord said in sloka 22 [ananyas chinta...]. But there are people who worship so many other deities; He is the inner soul [antharatman] in them; so, why can't He grant them Moksham? Why stop with what they prayed the other gods, only? The Lord replied Arjuna, that though it was true that when they worshiped the other gods, He was the Ultimate entity worshiped. This is emphasised in Upanishads also. When a yagna is performed and a god is worshiped, the result of it is attained because the Lord in those gods reigns in them. But the persons performing the yagna should realize this. Even in our daily rotines we can see that unless we aspire for something, we can not attain them; and not just because that something was available. Colleges offer degrees; but one should strive for that and then only that degree will be conferred on one. Our worship also should be with that gyana or knowledge that the Lord is the antharatman in the god we are worshiping. Without this gyana, they are destined to get only what was prayed for. This was told in sloka 23. He told that they were performing worship not as per Vedas. He is the Ultimate, where all worships reach. In sloka 24 for today [10th July 2008], the Lord explains this further. Any worship to any god would reach the Lord. Any yagna performed ultimately delights the Lord. How these are all targeted at Him is explained:

aham hi sarva-yajnanam
bhokta ca prabhur eva ca
na tu mam abhijananti
tattvenatas cyavanti te

"I am the only enjoyer and master of all sacrifices. Therefore, those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall down."

Aham hi = I [ Sri Krishna] am alone, sarva yajnanam = of all the yagnas', bhokta = beneficiary, ca = and, prabhur eva = only giver of benefits in return. Tu = but, mam = My [ Sri Krishna's], tattvena = true nature is, na abhijananti = not understood [ by them in this way]. Te = they, cyavanti = slip away [from not getting superior benefits and reach only inferior results]. The Lord says that He is the beneficiary of all karmas and yagnas we do. That is He is the inner soul in every other gods we may worship, and ultimately receives the worship and offerings. Prabhu means the person who gives the result of the pooja or yagna performed. When some one does Jyotish homa and prays Indra for sanctioning swarga, it is the Lord who actually gives and not Indra. But this is not understood by people, who think that it is these gods who give them those benefits. They do not know the real stature of the Lord. They should have realized that more than anything else, it is the Lord, Who is inner soul in all and Who alone is pleased with their karma and Who alone is going to grant them anything; but they have never understood this. Therefore they slip away from superior benefits like reaching Vaikuntam; and are granted only the transient and inferior benefits, they sought. One important point we should note. Dasaratha did not have children and so he decided to perform puthrakameshti yaga. He invited sage Risyasrunga to do the yagna. The person who gets the yagna performed is called yajamana. Yajamana himself may perform the actual karma also. But here Dasaratha was the yajamana and sage Risyasrunga was the actual performer of the karma. But the derived benefits are to go to Dasaratha and not to the sage. So, beneficiary is different from the person doing the karma. Similarly the yagna also was done in favour of some god. Finally, a person emerged from the holy fire and offered a vessel containing payasam [porridge like] to Dasaratha. The Lord later on was born as the Son of Dasaratha. The Lord, in this sloka, says that He represents everything in an yagna: the yajamana, actual performer, the holy fire, the god prayed for, the payasam, etc. He is the inner soul of all. Because of Him all have their capacity or power. He performs yagna; He is worshiped; and He is the giver of results. If this knowledge is there then, one would directly approach Him. When one approaches Him, one would pray for the supreme gift of Moksham and be free from the miseries of birth and death. Worshiping Surya, Sriman Narayan grants good health. Worshiping Vayu, Sriman Narayana grants wealth. Here we may have another doubt. Suppose by worshiping Sriman Narayana for Moksham, will other gods be able to grant? No. When the Lord is worshiped He alone grants and no other gods are involved. This is implied by the words 'aham ti'. Worshiping the Lord is also both easy and pleasant. Even for a simple folding of hands, the Lord is so pleased that He wants to shower benefits in return. He feels like a debtor and does not rest till Moksham is granted. This truth is not understood by them and so slip away from getting Vaikuntam. We will take leave of this Kshetram now.

BG 9,24

Thirunangur and the surrounding 11 Kshetrams of Chola region are regarded special. We are in Thirukkavalambadi. After visiting the Pushkarini, we enter the temple and have a surprising pradhikshanam [going around in clockwise]. As we go around we notice beautiful gardens with plants and trees. We have a view of the vimanam -swayambu vimanam. Like the Lord, Who appeared on His own [Swayambu], vimanam also appeared on its own. Why did the Lord appear here and from where? Once the Lord Sri Gopala Krishnan, arrived here along with His consorts Sri Rukmini and Sri Sathyabhama, from Dwaraka. It is told that the Lord in all these 11 Kshetrams arrived here from various other Kshetrams. This is connected with the story of lord Shiva. Shiva married the daughter of Daksha. Daksha performed a grand yagna; but since lord Shiva was not invited properly, he did not attend that. The daughter of Daksha, however came to the yagna and questioned her father for his behaviour. Not getting proper response, she grew angry and destroyed all in that yagna and finished her life also. Lord Shiva became angry on this and performed Rudra Thandavam [ருத்ர தாண்டவம்] - dancing in anger. Whole world trembled in this dance. The place where lord Shiva danced is Thirunangur. At the prayer of all devas, Lord Sriman Narayana, decided to pacify the anger of lord Shiva, by appearing before him. As lord Shiva was dancing, some of his hair fell on the ground and for every hair one more lord Shiva appeared and danced. Like this 11 Rudras were dancing. To pacify all of them the Lord appeared in 11 forms. That is why there are 11 Vishnu Kshetrams in this region. Near each of these Sri Vishnu temples, we can notice lord Shiva temple also. Such an intimacy was there between them. For this the Lord arrived from various other Kshetrams like to Thirukavalambadi, the Lord arrived from Dwaraka; Lord Srinivasa of Thirumala arrived at Thiruvellakkulam; from Thiruvidavendhai [திருவிடவெந்தை] Sri Kalyana Perumal arrived at Thiruthevanarthogai. Thirumangai Alwar mentions Sri Dwarakanatha in his pasuram on this Kshetram. Once Sri Satyabhama desired to have the Parijatham [பாரிஜாதம்] flower in Indra's garden Nandanam and told Sri Krishna to get some. When Sri Krishna requested Indra, he refused and angered by this Sri Krishna destroyed the entire garden, and carried away the tree to Dwaraka. Thus in this Kshetram, the Lord appears with Sri Rukmini and Sri Sathyabhama. Let us now see the sloka 23:

ye ’py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante shraddhayanvitah
te ’pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam

"Those who are devotees of other gods and who worship them with faith actually worship only Me, O son of Kunti, but they do so in a wrong way."

Arjuna got a doubt. Jyotish homa is performed to seek swarga and Indra is worshiped. To get rain, Varuna is worshiped. Vayu is worshiped to get wealth. Surya is worshiped to get health. These are all specified and many are performing these worships. Are these persons worshiping these gods? The Lord told that all these gods are body to the Lord or Parabrahmam. They are like organs and these worships for these gods ultimately, reach the Lord only. It is like for example, caring for the feet of a person, ultimately pleases the soul or atman of thet person. So, whichever god is worshiped, ultimately the inner soul of them and the commander of all of them, should only be pleased. Here, Arjuna gets the doubt that since, even if Indra is worshiped, ultimately Lord Sri Krishna is only pleased; so, why not grant that person Moksham straight away? Why that person should be granted only swarga? In reply to this the Lord speaks out in this sloka. The Lord expects them to have the conscience while worshiping other gods, that those worships were directed to the Lord Sri Krishna. But unfortunately, these persons feel that the result of their prayers have been awarded by these gods themselves. They are ignorant that their worships ultimately reach the Lord Sri Krishna alone. This gyana that the Lord is the inner soul of all these gods is necessary to obtain greater benefits. This is evident from Upanishads or Vedantha, the latter part of Vedas. But these persons understand only the Karma kanda of Vedas [as told in sloka 20] and are ignorant that the Lord only, ultimately, grants all benefits. We should therefore, when worshiping other gods, realize that the Lord resides in these gods and our worships reach Him only, ultimately. This is what Sri Krishna expects. Of course, when this gyana dawns in us, we will straight away worship the Lord and get the benefits. Ye api = even these persons, who are different from those devotees, who think only Sri Krishna is all for them, anya devata bhakta = devotees of other gods, yajante = worship, shraddhayanvita = sincerely. These persons are very earnest in performing poojas for other gods. But they do it without the gyana that ultimately it is the Lord inside these gods, Who is worshiped and Who is granting the desired results. Te api = even those persons, yajanty = worship, mam evam = only Me [Sri Krishna], avidhi poorvakam = without understanding the Vedas correctly. That is they are ignorant that all worships done for any god, ultimately reaches the Lord, Sri Krishna. Because of this the Lord also grants them only the desired results and not the eternal Moksham.

BG 9.23

When Sri Krishna's name is mentioned, are we reminded of Gita or Mahabharata war? Both will not come to our mind; but the pranks of Sri Bala Krishna will immediately appear in our mind screen. He will be imagined with butter, in the company of Gopikas, herding the cows and calves and running about in Brindavan. He is the One, Who has stolen our hearts. Gita was preached by an Older Sri Krishna. Whatever we understand in Gita, we experience with the very young Sri Bala Krishna. We are visiting the Kshetrams in Thirunangur region. Of the Eleven Kshetrams here, in one, the Lord is gracing as Sri Rajagopala, as Sri Gopala Krishna, with a whip in one hand, pole in another hand and along with cow and calf. Thirumangai Alwar has praised the Lord as Sri Krishna and we are in Thiru Kavalambadi [திருக் காவளம் பாடி].

SRI RAJAGOPALA (or) SRI GOPALA KRISHNA

Behind the temple is Thadamalar poigai [தட மலர் பொய்கை], pushkarini of the temple. Thirumangai Alwar mentions this name in his pasuram. Once elephant Gajendra, roamed all over the earth to get a flower suitable for the Lord. It found a pond full of beautiful flowers and chanting His names, the elephant eagerly got into the pond to pluck flowers. But a crocodile seized the elephant's leg by its teeth and elephant loudly cried for help. The Lord hurriedly arrived on the banks of the pond and removed the misery of the elephant [நாகத்தின் நடுக்கம் தீர்த்தாய் nagam in Tamil is elephant]. In many pasurams the Alwar mentions kalai kan [களை கண்], which means the Lord is the Protector or Saviour. Alwar prays that just as He saved the elephant, He should save him also. In Tamil, ka [கா] means garden or grove, valam [வளம்] means beautiful or fertile, padi means place. So this place is famous for beautiful gardens. What does a Protector or Saviour do? He will get what is desired by us and remove what is disliked. In Vaishnava commentaries this is called ishta prapti [इष्ट प्राप्ति] and anishta nivrutti [अनिष्ट निवृत्थी]. This is common to all - wanting to possess desired ones and keep away disliked ones. The Lord facilitates this and it is the substance of today's [8th July 2008] lecture. Till sloka 21, the Lord mentioned the transient and inferior nature of seeking swarga, etc., and cautioned that such persons will have to return back to samsaram. In sloka 22, He is going to tell the greatness of devotees seeking Him alone and explains how He helps them. We can see how this sloka fits the Lord of Thirukkavalambadi:

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesham nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham

"But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form—to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have."

Aham = I, Sri Krishna, tesham = their, yoga - kshemam = yoga and kshemam, vahamy = do. One of our important organization [Life Insurance Corporation of India -LIC] has the words 'yogakshemam vahamyaham' in their logo. Ye jana = those devotees, those who think of Sri Krishna as all for them, ananya = not [desiring] anything else [other than the Lord], mam = Me [Sri Krishna], cintayanto = thinking, paryupasate = meditate on His auspicious qualities, on His Divine beauty, on the good things the Lord has done to them. Such people, nitya = always, abhiyuktanam = desiring to be with the Lord. So, those devotees , who never think of anything else, but meditating only on Him, His auspicious qualities, His divine beauty and His actions, always desire to be with the Lord. For such people tyhe Lord gives yoga and kshemam. When we meet persons we do enquire whether their yoga-kshemam are all OK? It means whether health is alright and whether all are happy. But, here this ordinary meaning is not applicable. Yogam denotes unexpected arrival or possession; and kshemam means possessions are all in tact. Yoga- kshemam is unexpected possession of desired, and retention of possessed. When we enquire yoga kshemam of others, we should mean whether the unexpected Bhakti has been acquired and whether the acqired Bhakti is continued without any reduction. Diseases, quarrels, births and deaths are never permanent and will fade one day. But Bhakti in Him should be acquired and preserved for ever. Unexpected possession of the Lord and possessed Lord never leaves. Sri Krishna says here that to such devotees, the Lord offers Himself and never departs from them. We should therefore, be away from all others and concentrate only on Him. Think only of Sri Krishna. We should clear our mind of all others and in the empty mind we should install Sri Krishna and think only of Him. Thondaradipodi Alwar, in the pasuram 'pacchaimaamalai [பச்சை மா மலை போல் மேனி]' says he did not want even Vaikuntam but should always be worshiping Sri Ranganatha. Thiruppanalwar, in his pasuram says,' en amudhinai kanda kangal matronrinai kanave [என் அமுதினைக் கண்ட கண்கள் மற்றொன்றினை காணாவே]' - after seeing the Lord Sri Ranganatha, his eyes do not want to see anything else. In the end, when Sri Rama was readying to go to Vaikuntam, He took along with Him all; but Hanuman stayed away. When the Lord enquired whether Hanuman was not interested in Vaikuntam, Hanuman said that after seeing Sri Rama, he did not want to see anyother, including Sri Vaikunta Natha. Hanuman said he would remain here itself and meditate only on Sri Rama. For all these devotees the Lord offered Himself and remains with them for ever. In this Kshetram also as Sri Rajagopala, He offered Himself to all the Gopikas and remained in their minds even after the Lord physically left their place.

BG 9.22

We are in Thirutevanarthogai [திருத் தேவனார் தொகை], one of the Chola region Divyadesam. The Lord here is Sri Deivanayagan [ஸ்ரீ தெய்வநாயகன்]. The Consort of Moolavar is Sri Deivanayaki Thayar [ஸ்ரீ தெய்வநாயகி தாயார்]. Today's [7th July 2008] lecture is from the separate sannidhi of Sri Madhavanayaki Thayar [ஸ்ரீ மாதவ நாயகி தாயார்]. Utsavar is called Sri Madhavanayaka and His Consort is Sri Madhavanayaki.

This dhivyadesam is situated at Keezha chaalai village about 3 km towards north-west from Thiru Nangur. This temple is also called as "Maadhava Perumal Koil" in locality.

Thiru Thevanar Thogai
Sl.No		Name
1	Moolavar	Theivanayaka Perumal, Facing west direction, Standing posture
2	Uthsavar	Madhava Perumal
3	Thayar	Kadalmagal Naachiyar, Madhava nayaki
4	Theertham	Shobana Pushkarini
5	Vimanam	Shobana Vimaanam
6	Mangalasasanam	Thirumangai Azhwar

The Lord is in standing pose, while the Thayar is in sitting pose. The Lord graces with Four arms, the Upper arms holding discus and conch and the Lower right arm is in Abhaya mudra and lower left arm is holding the mace. Madhava implies it is related to Thayar. 'Ma' means Sri Maha Lakshmi Thayar; and 'dhava' means Leader. So, Madhava means the Husband of Thayar. This is different from carrying Thayar on chest, when He is called Sridhara. Thayar here is called Sri Madhavanayaki; that is Wife of Madhava, Who is Husband of Sri MahaLakshmi. Thus it proves that both are interdependent in this Divine Couple. In the Milk ocean churning episode the Lord churned the ocean with thousands of His hands. Swami Koorathalwan says that in that process many things came out of the ocean, but Sri Thayar emerging out of the ocean, straight away went and garlanded the Lord and at that time the Lord became Sri Madhava. Worshiping Her and with Her recommendation, we should seek refuge at the Feet of the Lord; and this will be to the liking of Sri Krishna. Therefore, Sri Krishna ridicules those who seek Swarga lok, and show more interest in the Poorva bhag [earlier part] of Vedas, also known as Karma kanda, which prescribe the procedures and objectives of various yagnas, like Jyothish homa, etc., and leave out Vedantha or Upanishads in the latter part of Vedas, also known as Gyana kanda. These persons are not true devotees of the Lord and will never reach Him. Arjuna wanted to know what was wrong in seeking those results? In reply, sloka 21 was told by Sri Krishna:
te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam visalam
ksine punye martya-lokam vishanti
evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna
gatagatam kama-kama labhante

"When they have thus enjoyed vast heavenly sense pleasure and the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus those who seek sense enjoyment by adhering to the principles of the three Vedas achieve only repeated birth and death."

Normally, slokas in Gita have 16 letters [aksharam] per line and 32 in one sloka. This is called anushtup chandas [metre]. But this, 20 and 22nd slokas have excess letters. Here, each line has 22 letters and 44 per sloka. Te =they, tam =such, bhuktava = pleasure is experienced, visalam = vast, svarga loke = heavens. Here, 'they' implies those who perform jyotish homa, etc., and seek heaven. Heaven is very large place with all pleasures and enjoying dances of beautiful apsaras women like Rambha, Menaka, Oorvasi, etc, Unlike the pleasures and sorrows alternating in this world, there, in heaven, happiness alone is there. Even if pleasure spots are available here, we are not equipped with that type of stamina or strength to continuously enjoy. But in swarga lok, the person going there is provided with heavenly body to enjoy continuously. Can they remain in swarga lok for ever? No. Ksine punye = all punya get reduced [as the pleasures of swarga lok are enjoyed and as time passes], martya lokam = the world of mortals or human beings, vishanti = return. By doing punya, the person reaches swarga lok or heaven and enjoys; but as time passes, the punya stock gets expended and gets reduced. Once reduced to a low level, he has to necessarily be born in this world of mortals. It is therefore, told that even a person in swarga would be in constant fear of returning back to samsaram. Can anyone enjoy with full satisfaction, if this constant fear is there? In fact, he would be facing naraka lok [hell] experience in swarga. And, he might think that instead of this, remaining in the world of mortals would have been better. Why, then seek heaven? We should note the word 'ksine' -reducing. It is not completely exhausted, but with a particular low level reached, they are reborn in this earth. Evam = thus, anuprapanna = following, trayi dharmam = three Vedas. In the last sloka the Lord told that these persons concentrate on the three Vedas' meanings. Such persons labhante = attain, kama kama = desired places and desired pleasures. Are these permanent? Ghata aghatam = they go [to heaven to enjoy] and return [to suffer in this samsaram]. He with a short sight enjoys this temporary happiness, only to come back again and grope in this samsaram. By concentrating only on the superficial meanings of the three vedas, these persons get what they want to enjoy in heaven; but they never realize the inferior and transient nature of this happiness. They little realize that Sri Krishna is the everlasting happiness and Vaikuntam is the place from where there is no return to samsaram. Upanishads emphasise this. We now take leave of this Kshetram.